We’re honored to be featured by Images Arizona inThe Architect of Taste, an in-depth profile of Executive Chef Cory Oppold and the experiences, influences, and creative philosophy behind COURSE Restaurant.
Written by Joseph J. Airdo with photography by Luke Wayne Media, the feature explores how Chef Cory’s background in both architecture and agriculture continues to shape the way he approaches food, menu development, and the overall dining experience at COURSE.
Before pursuing a culinary career, Chef Cory originally planned to study architecture. That early interest in design never disappeared. Instead, it became part of the foundation of his culinary style, influencing the way he thinks about balance, structure, height, color, composition, and the relationship between every element on the plate.
The article also looks back at Chef Cory’s upbringing on a dairy farm in Pearl City, Illinois, where gardening, preserving food, and understanding the work behind agriculture were part of everyday life. That experience continues to influence COURSE today, particularly through the restaurant’s focus on seasonality, high-quality ingredients, and support for local producers whenever possible.
Images Arizona highlights several examples from COURSE’s SPRING 2025 Menu that reflected Chef Cory’s design-driven approach, including a monochromatic asparagus course built to resemble a living plant, a yellow-focused sea bass dish, and a red dessert featuring strawberry, hibiscus, amaranth, rhubarb, and pink peppercorn. Together, the dishes illustrate the attention to visual cohesion, texture, flavor balance, and storytelling that goes into each menu.
The feature also explores one of the philosophies that continues to define COURSE: constant evolution. Rather than relying on permanent signature dishes, Chef Cory and the culinary team use each new season as an opportunity to create something entirely different, experiment with new techniques, and continue challenging themselves creatively.
Since opening in May 2023, that approach has helped COURSE earn recognition throughout Arizona and beyond. Images Arizona notes Chef Cory’s 2025 James Beard Foundation semifinalist recognition for Best Chef: Southwest, COURSE’s Exceptional Culinary Experience award from the Arizona Restaurant Association, and its placement at No. 7 on Yelp’s national Best New Restaurants list for 2024.
While those accolades are meaningful, the article makes clear that the foundation of COURSE remains the guest experience. From the food and beverage programs to the dining room and service, the goal is to continue creating something memorable while making every menu stronger than the one before it.
We’re incredibly grateful to Joseph J. Airdo, Luke Wayne Media, and the Images Arizona team for taking the time to tell Chef Cory’s story and share a deeper look at the philosophy behind COURSE.
Read the Full Feature
The Architect of Taste explores Chef Cory Oppold’s journey from his farm upbringing and early interest in architecture to the creative philosophy and technical approach that now define COURSE Restaurant.
Experience COURSE
Join us for our current tasting menu experience and discover how seasonality, creativity, technical precision, and storytelling come together throughout each COURSE menu.
